The three dimensional jigsaw

ABSTRACT

The three-dimensional jigsaw is a toy made up of several spherical surfaces, preferably 4 spherical surfaces of different diameters, which are situated one inside the other and made up of individual elements, which are mutually joined in such a way that they form an individual spherical surface. The toy&#39;s final shape is achieved by joining the housing ( 3 ), element ( 2 ), and movable elements which are placed within the housing. Element ( 2 ) is a spherical segment made up of two neighboring spherical segments ( 4 ) of the top half of the sphere and two neighboring segments ( 4 ) of the bottom half of the sphere which are mutually shifted by 45°, i.e. the width of one segment of the sphere. Inside the housing ( 3 ) there are smaller diameter spheres ( 5 ), ( 6 ) and ( 7 ) with clearance between them, thereby enabling the rotation of each individual spheres within the other in all possible directions. Spheres ( 5 ) and ( 6 ), depending on the method of realizing the invention, consist of 4 elements or 2 elements, while the smallest diameter sphere essentially makes up an orb ( 7 ) considering the fact that it regularly consists of two full elements ( 8 ) and ( 8 ′) (pictures  8, 9  and  10 ).

FIELD OF TECHNIQUE

The subject invention generally refers to a toy created from severalmutually joined essentially similar individual elements in such a waythat they form a spherical surface. Specially, the subject invention isenvisioned as a three-dimensional jigsaw which consists of a series ofspherical elements which function as components of a bigger whole, andassembly and disassembly of the toy is possible. According to theinternational classification of patents the subject invention can beclassified as A63H33/00 to A63H33/10.

TECHNICAL PROBLEM SOLVED BY THE INVENTION

The three-dimensional jigsaw is a toy made up of several sphericalsurfaces, preferably 4 spherical surfaces, which are arranged one insideanother, which consist of essentially geometrically same individualelements, different in their dimensions, which can easily be mutuallyjoined in a way so as to form a spherical surface. This toy helps indeveloping fine motor skills in pre-school children, and considering thecomplexity during the assembly/disassembly of the toy, this toy can beproduced in several varieties of models, depending on the child's age,that is, a simpler and a more complex variation of assembling theelements into the spherical element. To achieve the reduction in theweight of the toy, the recommended material for producing the toy is afoam-like material with a polyurethane base. Also, the three-dimensionaljigsaw is firm, has a smooth surface and good sliding properties.

STATE OF TECHNIQUE

As it is known, there are several types of toys on the market, aimed atdeveloping the skill of assembling elements. In general, most of thetoys posses a certain degree of complexity which cannot be changedaccording to the child's age. Jigsaw toys are made up of essentiallysimilar individual elements which are joined between themselves by wayof special joints or fasteners.

Document EP 63816 depicts a spatial jigsaw (puzzle) which consists ofseveral three-dimensional elements that cannot be separated from oneanother, and that can move in relation to one another and are placed oneinside the other. The outer and inner spherical elements have symbolswhich can be moved. The spatial jigsaw is used to develop patience andthree-dimensional perspective.

Document WO9420186 displays a spherical shape (10) which is made up ofseveral elements (12) of polygonal shape that are mutually overlapingwith their side walls. Each of the polygonal members has an outersurface of a predetermined shape and peripheral side edges that stretchfrom the outer surface and which limit the outer surface. Means ofjoining the coinciding edges of the polygonal parts is also supplied, sothat a spherical shape can be formed.

Document U.S. Pat. No. 5,100,359 depicts a toy made from a certainnumber of different elements which are mutually joined so as to form aspherical shape. The first part of the elements has a pyramid-like shapewith a hexagonal cross-section, and the other part of the elements, ofwhich each has a pyramid-like shape with a pentagonal cross-section. Thecorresponding elements are joined in a special way so as to form aspherical shape, and have mutually overlapping protrusions and sockets.

Neither one of the above-stated documents depicts a three-dimensionaljigsaw which has a variable degree of difficulty, i.e. variations inconstruction which require a more complex or a simpler level ofexpertise in assembling into a spherical shape, and can be adjusted inrespect to the child's age. Furthermore, all the documents showessentially one spherical surface which is composed of several elementsthat are mutually overlapping because of their shapes, while the subjectinvention has more spherical surfaces arranged one inside the other,made up of elements which have to be assembled, while all the sphericalsurfaces freely rotate in all directions, which develops the child'sknowledge of the geometrical shape of a sphere and its properties duringthe process of assembly or disassembly.

EXPOSITION OF THE INVENTION'S ESSENCE

The purpose of the subject invention is to create a new type of toyconsisting of individual elements which can be assembled, which apartfrom developing the skill of assembly and the three-dimensionalperspective also offers the possibility of varying degrees of difficultyin manipulation, without changing the concept upon which thethree-dimensional jigsaw is based.

The subject invention is comprised of several spherical shapes ofvarying dimensions which are situated one inside the other. Each ofthese spheres consists of several elements which can be mutually joinedinto a spherical surface, while the spheres can freely rotate in alldirections.

Following one of the methods of realizing the invention, each of thespherical surfaces consists of 4 geometrically identical elements, whilethe spherical surface with the smallest diameter consists of two equalelements.

Following another method of realizing the invention, the sphericalsurfaces can consist of 2 geometrically different elements, where thespherical shape with the smallest diameter consists of two equalelements.

Following the method of realizing the subject invention, the side wallsof certain elements have the same angle which is identical for all theelements. The spherical shapes can have different diameters; however theangles of the elements' sides remain the same in relation to the centralpoint of the resulting sphere. The desirable dimension of the outerspherical surface is between 100 and 120 millimeters, while the targetedweight of the fully assembled toy is between 150 and 200 grams.

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE PICTURES

Picture 1 shows the final shape of the fully assembled toy 1,

Picture 2 shows the three-dimensional view of the sphere disassembledinto 4 component elements 4 following one of the methods of realizingthe invention,

Picture 3 shows the three-dimensional view of the element of sphere 2 invarious positions,

Picture 4 shows the three-dimensional view of the outer sphere made upof two elements,

Pictures 5, 6, 7 and 8 show the three-dimensional view of the toy invarious phases of the spheres' assembly, and

Pictures 9 and 10 show the layout and the three-dimensional view ofelement 8 of sphere 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the pictures, the three-dimensional jigsaw is a toy createdfrom several spherical surfaces, preferably 4 spherical surfaces ofdifferent diameters, which are located one inside the other and whichare assembled from individual elements, which can easily be joined insuch a way that they form an individual spherical surface. Thethree-dimensional jigsaw is made up of spherical surfaces of differentdiameters, preferably 4 spherical surfaces (1), (5), (6) and (7), whichare located one inside the other and assembled from individual elements,in such a way that they form a single spherical surface, where the outerspherical surface (1) is made up of the housing (3) and the element (2)inside which is a smaller diameter sphere (5) inside which is an evensmaller diameter sphere (6), where spheres (5) and (6) are made up of 4elements (2), and the sphere with the smallest diameter basically makesup an orb (7) which is made up of two elements (8, 8′).

Reference mark 1 denotes the final shape of the toy which is achieved byassembling the housing 3, element 2 and 10 movable elements which arelocated inside the housing, i.e. 6 movable elements within the housing,in case of the simpler model. The individual elements are expressed inthe form of small elements made up of a plastic or similar material orpolyurethane based foamy material. When housing 3 and element 2 areassembled they make up the outer sphere 1 that has the biggest diameter.The spheres are visually, by way of sockets or grooves 0.5 to 1millimeter deep, divided in half, and each half of the sphere is dividedinto 8 identical spherical segments 4, so that the angle of onespherical segment is 45°. Following one method of realizing theinvention, element 2 is a spherical segment made up of two neighboringspherical segments 4 of the top half of the sphere and two neighboringsegment 4 of the bottom half of the sphere which are shifted betweenthemselves by 45°, i.e. the width of one sphere segment (see picture 3).

Within housing 3, there are smaller diameter spheres 5, 6 and 7. Theclearance between the outer sphere (housing 3 and element 2) with thebiggest diameter and sphere 5 is such that it enables an uninterruptedrotation of sphere 5 in all directions. Also, clearances between spheres5 and 6, and sphere 6 and sphere 7 are such that the rotation of eachindividual sphere is enabled within another in all possible directions.Rotation is enabled thanks to the smooth surface of the elements whichare made of the stipulated polyurethane based foamy material. Whenchoosing the material needed for production, attention should be placedon the fact that the elements making up the jigsaw must possess:firmness, smooth surface and good sliding properties, as well asdurability to wear and tear and atmospheric influences.

Spheres 5 and 6, depending on the method of realizing the invention, aremade up of 4 elements or 2 elements. As it is seen from picture 2, byone method of realizing the invention spheres 5 and 6 are made up of 4identical elements of which each element has a geometrical shapeidentical to the shape of element 2 which has already been defined forthe outer sphere.

Following the other method of realizing the invention, spheres 5 and 6are made up of two elements of which one has the shape of housing 3, andthe other the shape of element 2 which are already geometrically definedfor the outer sphere.

The smallest diameter sphere essentially makes up orb 7 considering thatit regularly consists of two full elements 8 and 8′. Following one ofthe methods of realizing the invention, according to picture 8, one fullelement 8 is shown, which has three equal and symmetrically placed orbsegments (horns), mutually interlocking with the other geometricallyidentical element 8′ in such a way that they make up a sphere. Followingthe other method of realizing the invention, the sphere can be dividedinto two pieces which are not geometrically the same in such a way thatthe surfaces between the two orb parts geometrically overlap one on topof the other so as to form a full element, i.e. sphere 7.

The complexity of assembling the three-dimensional jigsaw is increaseddepending on the number of parts that have to be assembled, that isdepending on the number of movable elements placed within the housing.Additionally, the geometrical shape of the elements which mutuallycompose into spheres can be different than the geometrical shape,provided that their shape is such that the extraction or the assembly ofelements is enabled. Also, the individual movable elements placed withinthe housing, in such a way that they form spheres, can be of differentgeometrical shapes, which also contribute to the complexity ofassembling the toy. The greater the number of individual elements, whichrequire specific positioning in order to assemble the toy's final shape,the more complex the assembly is going to be.

By increasing the opening in the housing and omitting the sockets whichcreate an optical illusion, it is possible to reduce the level ofdifficulty of solving the subject jigsaw. Opposite to that, by usingmore indented and less regular shaped sockets it is possible tosignificantly increase the difficulty of manipulating the toy. Thedisplayed invention has three levels, but their number can be increasedby decreasing the width of the walls of individual levels, and bychanging the diameter of the housing. In determining the complexity ofassembly or disassembly of the toy, color also has a certain role.Through the stated variations it is possible to create toys which aresuited for different ages with respect to the difficulty of theirassembly/disassembly.

Since the invention is displayed and described by calling upon certaindesired methods of realizing it, it is implied that the expert personsfrom the technical field can make different changes in the form anddetails of the invention, without losing sight of the purpose and theentirety of the invention. Therefore, the object of protection of theinvention shouldn't be limited by the methods of its realization, butshould be defined by the patent claims which are stated next.

1. The three-dimensional jigsaw, indicated by the fact that, it consistsof spherical surfaces of different diameters, with preferably 4spherical surfaces which are placed one inside the other and which aremade up of individual elements, in such a way so as to form anindividual spherical surface, where the outer spherical surface consistsof the housing and the element inside which a smaller diameter sphere isplaced, inside which an even smaller diameter sphere is placed, wherespheres and consist of 4 elements, and the smallest diameter sphereessentially makes up an orb which consists of two elements.
 2. Thethree-dimensional jigsaw according to claim 1, indicated by the factthat, the spherical surfaces are divided in half by way of sockets, andeach half of the sphere is divided into 8 identical spherical segmentsso that the angle of an individual spherical segment is 45°, where thepreferred depth and width of the groove is 0.5 tol millimeter.
 3. Thethree-dimensional jigsaw according to claim 1, indicated by the factthat, the clearance between the outer sphere, which has the biggestdiameter, and sphere, and between spheres, and spheres is such that itenables the uninterrupted rotation of each individual sphere within theother in all possible directions.
 4. The three-dimensional jigsawaccording to claim 1, indicated by the fact that, the element with theshape made up of two neighboring spherical segments of the top half ofthe sphere and the two neighboring spherical segments of the bottom halfof the sphere, where the neighboring spherical segments of the top halfof the sphere and the bottom half of the sphere are mutually shifted by45°, i.e. the width of one segment of the sphere.
 5. Thethree-dimensional jigsaw according to claim 1, indicated by the factthat, spheres consist of 4 equal elements of which each element has ageometrical shape identical to the shape of element.
 6. Thethree-dimensional jigsaw according to claim 1, indicated by the factthat, the orb consists of two geometrically equal full elements wherethe elements have three equal and symmetrically placed orb segments,which mutually interlock in such a way that they form an orb.
 7. Thethree-dimensional jigsaw according to claims 1, indicated by the factthat, the orb is divided into two parts which are not geometrically thesame, whose surfaces between the two elements geometrically overlap eachother so as to form an orb.
 8. The three-dimensional jigsaw according toclaim 1, indicated by the fact that, each of the spheres consists of 2geometrically different elements whose shapes correspond with the shapeof the housing and element, or 4 geometrically identical elements whoseshape corresponds to the shape of the element, or 4 mutuallygeometrically different elements.
 9. The three-dimensional jigsawaccording claim 1, indicated by the fact that, the geometrical shape ofthe elements mutually forming a sphere is different than the geometricalshape of the element.
 10. The three-dimensional jigsaw according toclaim 1, indicated by the fact that, all the elements with a sphericalsurface have a smooth surface, and that they are made from apolyurethane based foamy material.